Archaeologists Use 3D Laser Imaging to Show What the Upper Room Where Jesus Shared the Last Supper With His Disciples May Have Looked Like

April 14, 2019

The Cenacle is a site in Jerusalem believed by many to be the location where Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples just before his death. Now, archaeologists are using 3D laser imaging to get a more accurate picture of what that Upper Room looked like originally.

“We managed, in one of the…holiest places in Jerusalem, to use this technology and this is a breakthrough,” archaeologist Amit Re’em told Reuters.

The Cenacle is an upper room located in David’s Tomb Compound, near Jerusalem’s walled Old City. Poor lighting and modifications of the room over the centuries have masked the original appearance of the room.

While the structure itself has been modified over the centuries, archaeologists believe they have been successful at stripping away the modifications with the help of 3D imaging. What lies beneath is of great interest and “tells the story” of the Upper Room, according to Re’em, who works with the Israel Antiquities Authority.

What Do the Images Show?

The images revealed “obscure” artwork such as the symbols of the Agnus Dei, a lamb that represents Christ, and the Lion of Judah. According to Re’em, the images together are significant. “It delivers the message of the Last (Supper) Room, Christ as a Messiah, as victorious, as a victim—and the lion, the lion is a symbol of the Davidic dynasty. They combine together in this room,” Re’em told Reuters.